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C. D. NITCHIE Jan. 31, 1956 WEB WINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. l,1953 www.

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c. D. NrrcHlE 2,733,018

Jan. 31, 1956 WEB WINDER 2 'Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1953 l l I l lI INVENTOR United States Patent WEB WmDEn Charles D. Nitcilie,Haddouiieid, N. 5., assigner to Samuel 13W. Langston Co., Camden, N. J.,a corporation of New ersey Application ctober 1, 1953, Serial No.383,657

16 Claims. (Cl. 242-66) This invention relates to web winders of the3-roll type, such as shown in the Langston et al. Patent 1,488,126 andthe Sieg Patents 1,827,802, 1,831,201 and 1,888,810, and in which therewind roll is supported on and between a pair of parallel drums whichare rotated in the same direction from a suitable source of power, and apressure roller which may or may not be driven, rests on the rewind rolland is forced upwardly as said rewind roll increases in diameter. Inconnection therewith there may be provided the customary slitters fortrimming the edges of the sheet, and if desired, slitting the web intonarrower widths as it passes from the supply roll to the rewind roll.

The present invention provides a pressure iiuid system for (l) loweringthe upper pressure roller onto a small roll at the start of windingoperation; (2) automatically controlling and yieldingly resisting thevertical movement of the upper pressure or rider roller so that the rollis pressed down onto the driven supporting drums and a hard, dense rollis formed, and slipping of the roll on the supporting rollers isprevented; (3) automatically controlling the downward pressure exertedby the pressure roller to compensate for the increasing weight of theroll; and (4) lifting said pressure roller above the rewind roll whenthe latter has reached theV desired size and is to be discharged.

Heretofore the means for applying the pressure on the upper roller hasbeen heavy weights; and a motor, or a large hand wheel and gearing hasbeen provided for lifting the pressure roller when the rewind rollreaches the desired size and is to be removed. A friction brake has alsobeen provided on the upper floating roller to resist its lifting andincrease the tension on the web. Under the old brake system ofpressurizing the rewind roll the amount of pressure applied and the rateof reduction were left entirely to the operators discretion, andinattention often resulted in poorly wound rolls.

The main objects of the present invention are to overcome these andother objection to such prior constructions, and particularly to reduceto the minimum the physical eiiort required by the operator whenremoving a rewound roll and starting a new one, and to eliminate the useof counter-balancing weights and friction brakes.

A further object is to provide simple and eective means for controllingthe application of fluid pressure to the pressure roller, whereby theamount of pressure exerted by the upper roller on the rewind roll may bevaried, and the iiuid under pressure may be utilized to lift the rolleror to force it down.

One of the primary reasons for the hydraulic means of manipulating thepressure roll is that on large winders the roiler and bearings must ofnecessity be heavy to withstand the pressure and speed. This greatweight makes it almost impossible to manipulate them manually.

As an important feature of the invention the bearings for the upperroller are secured to chains or tension members intermediate of theirends, the ends of the chains or tension members are anchored, loops areformed adjacent to each end, and means are provided for shortening oneloop and lengthening the other to raise or lower the pressure roller.

As another feature of the present invention hydraulic means areemployed, and act on the chains to raise, lower, counterbalance and loadthe pressure roller, whereby any desired amount of pressure may beexerted, and in either direction.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown only one embodiment of theinvention, but it will be understood that various changes may be madewithin the scope of my invention. In the drawings:

Fig. l is an end view of a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of only those parts of the machine whichembody the novel features, certain parts of the conventional frame beingshown in dot and dash lines.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic showing of a hydraulic control system,and

Figs. 4 and 4a are sections through a control valve in the positions forhand and for automatic operation.

The machine illustrated has lower side frame members 1 and .1', uprightside frames 2 and 2', a base 3, and an upper rear cross-tie 3. The rollA being wound is supported on and between winding drums 4 and 4 mountedin bearings 5 and 5' on the side frames l and l. The pressure or riderroller 5 is mounted in carriages 7 and 7 which may move up and downalong gibs 1G and i0 on the front edges of the frames 2 and 2. t isdriven by a pair of motors 6' mounted one on each of thecarriages 7 and7', and by V.-belt drives, as shown in Fig. l. T he carriages havejournals carrying a shaft 9 having gears 8 meshing with racks 8a and Sbon the end frames so as to maintain the pressure roller 6 parallel tothe roll supporting drums 4 and 4 at all times. he web W of paper to bewound passes around idlers 2d and 25, and then if desired betweenslitters 27, 27 which trim the edges. The web then passes up and aroundthe front drum 4 to the rewind roll A.

All of the parts hereinbefore specically referred to may be of the samegeneral type employed in machines for the same purpose.

In my improved construction there are provided a pair of double actinghydraulic cylinders 11 and 11 mounted in substantially verticalpositions on the end frames 2 and 2', ln each cylinder there is a piston11a with a piston rod 12 extending through the upper cylinder head and apiston rod 13 extending through the lower cylinder head.

An important feature of the invention relates to the means forcontrolling the delivery of pressure uid to the lower ends of thecylinders 11, 11 to lower the pressure roller 6 onto the small roll atthe start of the winding operation; to press the roller down on the rollso that it will not slip on the drums 4 and 4'; to maintain the pressureon the roll as it increases in size; and to lift the pressure rollerabove the roll when the roll has reached the desired size; so that theroll may be removed.

As shown in Fig. 3, each of the upper piston rods 12 is of largerdiameter than the connected lower piston rod 13, so that the electivearea of the upper side of each piston is substantially less than theeffective area of the underside. Thus, if the same pressure per squareinch be applied simultaneously to both surfaces of the piston, thepiston will travel upwardly or will exert an upward pressure equal tothe pressure per square inch times the diterence in area of the ends ofthe piston measured in square inches.

As shown in Figs, 1 and 2, each rod 12 carries a sprocket 16 at itsupper end, and each rod 13 carries a sprocket 19 at its lower end. Oneend of each of the chains 15 is anchored at the `lower partxof theframes, as at X onV the -base 'of `the machine, and "the other end -isanchored at the upper part of the frame, as -at the point Y. From theanchorage X the chain extends over the idler sprocket i9 on 'the pistonrod 13, then beneath an idler 20, then into engagement with asprocketSl, the function of which will be explained hereinafter, then toa sprocket 2l on the lower part ofthe main frame, and then up the frameto the carriage 7 `to which it is secured. it then extends oversprockets i8 and 17, then down and beneath the sprocket i6 on the upperend of the piston rod i2, and up to the anchorage Y. .Y

To start :the Winding of a roll the end of the web is passed over theidler 24 and beneath the idler 25 and wound a few times around thespindle or rewind shaft 22. This is then placed on and between thewinding drums 4 and 4', and pressure fluid is delivered to the lower endof each cylinder il, l1' to lower the top or pressure roller 6 onto thissmall roll. At this time the pistons lla are in the upper position inthe cylinders, the loop around the sprocket 19 is long, and the looparound the sprocket .i6 is short. As the roll increasees in size thepressure roller 6 is forced upwardly, the upper loop increases inlength, and the lower loop decreases in length. When the roll reachesthe desired size the pressure roller 6 is lifted, and the roll isremoved.

After the shaft 22, with a few turns of web wound thereon, has beenplaced on the drums 4 and 4 the selector Y valve 46 is moved to handposition, shown in Fig. 4, and the pilot valve 47 is adjusted to lowerthe pressure roller into contact with the small roll on the rewindshaft. The selector valve 4,5 is then moved to automatic position shownin Fig. 4a, and the pilot valve 48 is fully closed by cam 49 and fullpressure is exerted on the roll.

The sprocket l hereinbefore referred to and driven by the chain l5,drives a cam 49 through a worm gear speed reducer 52 which causes thecam 49 to make one complete revolution during the full travel of thepressure roller 6 from its lowermostrposition on a small roll to highestposition on a large roll. The cam controls a pilot valve 48, as shown atthe upper right hand side of Fig. 3, and thus the range of pressures inthe line 43 from a maximum down to that at which the weight of the presfsure roller 6 is completely counterbalanced. At the'discharge side ofthe valve 48 a line 50 drains liquid to the Vreservoir 2S.

As the diameter of the roll increases the cam 49 opens pilot valve 48,thus automatically compensating in reduced pressure on the pressureroller for the weight gained by the roll as it increases in size, thuskeeping the tractive pressure on the drums constant.

The amount of pressure applied and rate of reduction is varied bychanging the spacing between the valve 43 and the cam 49, or bysubstituting a cam of different contour. Y

AsV shown in Fig. 3, pumps 29 and 30, driven by a motor 31 through acommon shaft 152-32', draw oil from reservoir 2S and deliver it to pipe33 under pressure indicated by the gauge 34. Pump Z9 is a large volumelow pressure pump, and pump 3G is a low volume high pressure pump. Whenthe roll A reaches the desired size, or under conditions when it isdesirable to raise or lower the roller 6 rapidly, the pump 29 delivers alarge volume of oil at moderate pressure, but where high pressure isrequired for pressing a small roll down onto the drums 4, 4', the pump'29 is unloaded and a smaller volume of oil under higher pressure isdelivered bythe pump 3d. This switchover is controlled by a pilotoperated relief valve 35. When the pressure in line 33 is that producedby the pump 29 the oil pressure in pilot line 3S is insuil'lcient toopen the spring pressed relief valve 35, and all of the oil from bothpumps iows into line 33 past check valve 3%, and out ,to the system.throughline When the pressure Vin fligne .33 exceeds the rating of`pump .29, the .pressure of the -oil in line 3 8 lifts the spool invalve 35 and opensit against the action of a spring to the drain line40, thusrendering 'the pump 29 inerective yand leaving only pump 3l) tosupply high pressure oil to the system. Check valve 37 prevents reverseow from line 33. Relief valve 36 prevents the pump 3i) from producingexcessive pressure, as it perbypassing of some of the oil to thereservoir 2.8 through drain line 41.

Bypass valve 42. is spring pressed, and the spring is adjusted tomaintain a predetermined pressure in line 33a. This predeterminedpressure which is applied to the top of cylinders Si and il is setsuflciently high so that when line 43 opens to drain line 40 throughvalve 44, the'pressure roller will be lifted. The eifective piston area.in the upper ends of cylinders li and 1l is approximately onehalf ofthat in the lower ends, due to the upper rods l2,

i2 being larger than the lower rods i3, i3. Thus, if anY equal pressureis applied to opposite ends of the cylinder simultaneously, the pistonwill move up or exert anup- Ward pressure equal to the pressure inpounds multiplied by the difference in square inches of the areas of thetwo ends. f Y

-Valve 44 is a pilot operated relief valve which may be controlled byeither of two pilot valves 47 or 48, Ydepending upon the position ofselector valve 46. Valve 44 controls the pressure in line 45, and in thebottom chambers of cylinders 1l and l1. When the valve is in theposition shown inrFig. 4 for hand operation, the pipe 45 is connected tothe valve 47. When it is in the position shown in lFig. 4a for automaticoperation, the pipe 45 is connected to the valve 48, and the valve 47 isout of circuit.

With either pilot valve 47 or 43 open, the main spool of valve 44 willshift to the open position, thus reducing the pressure in line 43 tozero. Under this condition, the pressure in line 33 will act only on theupper side of the pistons' 11a in cylinders 11 and l1', and will movethem down to raise the pressure roller 6.

. if pilot valves 47 or 48 are closed slightly, valve 44 will closeproportionately, and raise the pressure in line 43 to a value which,acting upon the large pistony area in the bottom of cylinder 1l,willcounteract the thrust from the top of the cylinder, and the pistonswill come to rest:

lf pilot valve 47 is closed further, the pressure in the bottom of thecylinder will overbalance thatin the top, and the pistons will moveupward toV lower the pressure roller or exert a higher pressure on theroll of material being wound.

Closing pilot valves 47 or 4S will cause valve 44 to tightly close, andfull line pressure from the pump will be applied to both Vends of thecylinders', with the result that downward pressure will be applied onthe winding roll, and equal to the weight of the pressure roll as-Vsembly plus the `product of the pressure in line 33a and the differencein area of Vthe two ends of the cylinders. Fig. 4 shows the oil passagesin selector valve 46 in lthe hand position, and Fig. 4a vshows them inautomatic position. in the hand position the pilot line 45 is connectedto manual pilot valve 47, andvtherpressure roller may be raised orlowered manually by adjusting the control knob on valveV 47. kIn thisposition Valve 4S is connected to drain line '56. In the automaticposition of selector valve`46, shown in Fig. 4a, the pilot valve 4S isconnected to pilot line 45, and Valve 47 is connected to drain line 50.

`Pilot valve 48 is controlled by a cam 49 mountedon the low speed lshaftof a worm gear speed reducer 52 which is driven by sprocket 51 fromchain 15. The ratio ofthe worm Ygear box .is such that the full travelof the chain 15 is reduced to one revolution of the cam 49.

The difference in the low and high radii of the cam 49 is equal to thatamount of travel of pilotV valve48 which will ,cover thezrange ofpressures in line 43 from maximum down to .that at which the weight ofthe pressure'roller is completely counterbalanced.

avasprs In operation, the operator threads the web W around the rewindshaft 22 and places it in the crotch between drums 4 and 4', then withselector valve 46 in the hand position shown in Fig. 4, he adjusts pilotvalve 47 to bring the pressure roller down into contact with the smallroll on the rewind shaft 22. He then moves the selector valve 46 to theautomatic position shown in Fig. 4a. In this position of the pressureroller, cam 49 holds pilot valve 48 fully closed so that full pressureis exerted on the roll being wound.

As winding begins and the diameter of roll A increases, the cam 49starts slow rotation and gradually opens pilot valve 4S, thusautomatically compensating in reduced pressure on the pressure roll forWeight gained by roll A as it increases in size, and keeps the tractivepressure on the drums 4 and 4' constant.

It is obvious that the amount of pressure applied and the rate ofreduction may be varied by changing the spacing between valve 48 and cam49, or by altering the contour of cam 49.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A Web Winder of the type in which the rewind roll rests on and isrotated by a pair of parallel driven rollers and a pressure roller restson the roll and is moved upwardly along the frame members as the rewindroll increases in size, said Web Winder being characterized by having acylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod having opposite end sectionsprojecting respectively through the end walls of said cylinder, a chainhaving its ends anchored on said frame .and its intermediate portionconnected to the pressure roller, and having a pair of loops at oppositesides respectively of said intermediate portion, an idler sprocket ineach of said loops, said sprockets being mounted on and carried by therespective opposite ends of said piston rod, and means for applyingfluid pressure to said cylinder.

2. Mechanism for raising, lowering and resisting upward movement of theupper roll of a three-roll web winding machine, said mechanism includinga freely ilexible member having its ends anchored, its intermediateportion secured to the bearings of said upper roll, and provided withloops in the opposite end portions, a cylinder having a piston andpiston rod sections extending from opposite ends of said cylinder, theends of said sections having idler sprockets in said loops, and meansfor applying uid pressure to said cylinder` 3. A web winding machine ofthe type having a pair or driven rollers for supporting thereon andtherebetween a rewind roll, a vertically movable pressure roller forengaging the upper side of said rewind roll, and having verticallymovable bearings, whereby said roller rises as the roll increases indiameter, said machine being characterized by means for controlling theeiective pressure exerted by said pressure roller on said roll, saidmeans including a freely flexible member having its ends anchored andhaving a pair of loops adjacent to said ends and its intermediateportion secured to the bearing of the pressure roller, a piston in saidcylinder and having piston rods projecting from opposite ends of thelatter, and idlers carried by said piston rod and engaging loops in saidchain, and uid pressure means for regulating the forces applied to saidbearing by said piston.

4. A web winding machine of the type having a pair of driven rollers forsupporting thereon and therebetween a rewind roll, a vertically movablepressure roller for engaging the upper side of said rewind roll andhaving vertically movable bearings, whereby said roller rises as theroll increases in diameter, said machine being characterized by meansfor controlling the eiective pressure exerted by said pressure roller onsaid roll, said means including a freely iexible member having its endsanchored and having a pair of loops adjacent to said ends and itsintermediate portion secured to the bearing of a pressure roller,

and means engaging said loops to extend one and shorten the other andthereby change the elevation of said pressure roller.

5. A web Winding machine of the type having a pair of lower driven rollsupporting rollers and an upper pressure roller having verticallymovable bearings, a freely exible non-extensible member having its endsanchored and its intermediate portion secured to a bearing of said upperpressure roller, a pressure cylinder having a piston, and a pair ofidlers connected respectively to opposite sides of said piston andengaging said member adjacent to its ends, whereby upon delivering fluidto one or the other ends of said cylinder said pressure roller is raisedor lowered.

6. A web winding machine of the type having a pair of frame members, apair of roll supporting and rotating rollers journaled therein and anupper pressure roller having bearings vertically -movable on said frame,each end frame member being characterized by having a substantiallyvertical cylinder mounted thereon, a piston therein, and a piston rodprojecting through both ends of the cylinder and having sprockets atopposite ends thereof, a chain having its ends anchored on said framemember, an intermediate portion secured to the bearing of said pressureroller and a pair of loops, one adjacent to each end, one engaging oneof said sprocket `Wheels and the other adjacent to the other end andengaging the other sprocket Wheel, whereby as said roll increases insize said pressure roller moves upwardly, and hydraulic meansoperatively associated With said piston for exerting pressure throughthe latter tending to extend one loop and shorten the other toselectively lift, lower, and resist upward movement of said pressureroller.

7. A web Winder of the type having a pair of roll supporting rollerssimultaneously rotated n the same direction and a vertically movableidler pressure roller, bearings for said pressure roller, said Winderhaving a pair of cylinders each having a piston, iiexible membersconnected to said pistons and to the bearings of said pressure rollerfor raising, lowering and pressing downwardly said pressure roller, andmeans for delivering a uid under pressure to both ends of each cylinder.

8. A web Winder of the type having a pair of drum roll supportingrollers and an upper vertically movable pressure roller, said Winderhaving a pair of cylinders each having a piston therein and piston rodsprojecting from opposite ends thereof, a pair of chains each having itsopposite ends anchored and an intermediate portion connected to saidpressure roller, and means operated by said piston rods and engagingsaid chains to move said intermediate portion and thereby raise or lowersaid pressure roller.

9. A Web Winder having a pair of rollers for supporting thereon andtherebetween a web rewind roll, means for rotating said rollers therebyto rotate said roll, an upper pressure roller having vertically movablebearings, a pair of chains each having its ends anchored and anintermediate portion secured to one of said bearings, a pair ofcylinders each having a piston and oppositely extending piston rods, asprocket Wheel carried by each end of each piston rod and engaging saidchain adjacent to but spaced from the ends thereof to move theintermediate part endwise and raise or lower said pressure roller. lf).A web Winder as defined in claim 9, and in which the oppositelyextending piston rods are of different diameter, whereby the rate ofmovement in one direction is greater than the rate of movement in theopposite direction.

l1. A web Winder of the type in which the rewind roll rests on and isrotated by a pair of parallel driven rollers and a pressure roller restson the roll and is moved upwardly along the frame members as the rewindroll increases in size, said Web Winder being characterized by havingjournal structures for the opposite ends of said pressure roller guidedon said frame members, and a drive motor for said pressure rollermounted on each of vdownward pressure exerted Yrests on and ,is .rotatedb y a pair VYof parallel driven rollers and a pressure roller rests onthe roll and is moved up -wardly along the frame members as the rewindroll increases in size, said web Winder being characterized by having amotor vertically movable with said pressure roller and Aoperatively.connected to the latter for driving it.

13. A web Winder of the type having a pair of parallel juxtaposed lowerroll supporting rollers and a pressure roller movable upwardly assaidroll increases in diameter, said Winder having hydraulic meansresponsive to said increase in diameter for automatically regulating theY by said last mentioned roller. 14. A web Winder according to claim 13including manually actuated meansY for operating the hydraulic meansindependently of said automatic means for selectively elevating andlowering the pressure roller.

l5. A web Winder according to vclaim 14 wherein the hydraulic meansincludes a cylinder, arpiston, said cylinder operatively connected tothe pressure roller, said piston having opposite ends of dieringAeiiieetive areas exposed respectively to hydraulic pressure intheopposite Y ends of the cylinder, vmeans for admitting (an hydraulicpressure medium from a common pressure source'to both ends of thecylinder simultaneously, and means for varying the pressure of saidmedium in one of tbe'said ends of the cylinder.

16. A webV Winder according to claim 15`Wherein the pressure varyingmeans comprises a 1ray-pass for the hydraulic medium at the one end ofthe cylinder and an element responsive Vto the movement of the pistonfor controlling said by-paSS. f Y

References Cited Yin the le of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

